In a discussion on Forum, Mina Kim hosts vaccine expert Dr. Peter Hotez and climate scientist Michael Mann, who highlight a shared struggle against politically motivated anti-science rhetoric. Both have faced personal attacks and threats, necessitating law enforcement protection. Their new book, “Science Under Siege: How to Fight the Five Most Powerful Forces that Threaten Our World,” addresses this issue.
Mann notes parallels in the attacks on vaccine science and climate science, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the strategic nature behind these assaults. Hotez shares his experience of being pressured to debate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as part of efforts to legitimize anti-science figures. He argues that engaging in such debates serves no scientific purpose and only muddles the public discourse.
Both contributors reflect on a longstanding tactic used by powerful interests to discredit science, tracing its origins back to the tobacco industry’s efforts to undermine evidence about smoking’s health risks. Mann points out that the fossil fuel industry adopted similar strategies to question climate science, creating confusion to protect their interests. They collectively warn against the broader implications of this coordinated anti-science campaign and advocate for the integrity of science.
